Box wrapping machines



Aug. 12, 1969 A. H. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,460,442

BOX WRAPP ING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 28, 1965 Aug, 12, 1969 A. H. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,460,442

BOX WRAPPING MACHINES 7 She efcs-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1965 Aug. 12, 1969 A. H. WILLIAMS ErAL 3,460,442

BOX WRAPPING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28, 1965 1969 A. H. WflLLlAMS ErAL 3,460,442

BOX WRAPPING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Oct. 28, 1965 g- 1969 A. H. WILLIAMS ErAL 3,460,442

BOX WRAPPING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 001:. 28, 1965 FIQIB Aug. 12, 1969 A. H. WILLIAMS EI'AL 3,460,442

BOX WRAPPING MACHINES .7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 28, 1965 1969 A. H. WILLIAMS ETAL 3,460,442

BOX WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 28, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 US. Cl. 93-40 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A box wrapping machine for applying an outside wrapping to flanged boxes, casket boxes and to extension edges, the machine having a horizontally reciprocable slidable carrier with a brush and roller mounted thereon which apply adhesively coated wrapping to the box, the carrier having a cam and stop mechanism for controlling movement of the slidable carrier.

This invention is for improvements in and relating to box wrapping machines and concerns box wrapping machines for applying an adhesively coated wrapper to the bottom and sides of an open mouthed box made of cardboard or similar material. The box and wrapper are disposed between an anvil block adapted to engage the outer face of the wrapper and to support the box bottom and a form block adapted to enter the open mouth of the box and having presser means for pressing against the box bottom; and after the form block has so entered the box the protruding wrapper margins are applied to the outer surfaces of the box walls, and, after extraction of the form block are turned in over the edges of and subsequently applied to the inner surfaces of said walls.

In machines of this type, after operation of the form block to grip the box bottom and wrapper against the anvil block, the form block, (with its presser means) and anvil block are moved in unison to transport the gripped assembly to stations at which wrapper margin control devices operate to apply the margins of the Wrapper to the outer surfaces of the walls, and after extraction of the form block by a temporary pause in its movement while the presser means and anvil continue to move, to turn them in over the wall edges, the application of the turnedin margins to the inner surfaces of the walls being thereafter effected by reinsertion of the form block (with the assistance, if necessary, of pressure pads engaging the outer surfaces of the wrapped walls).

The wrapper margin control devices are provided in four assemblies of which two opposite side assemblies are identical and two opposite end assemblies are also identical. These side and end assemblies are slightly different from each other since, after the side margins are folded up by brushes and rollers of the two side assemblies, the ends of these side margins must be folded round the corners of the box by corner elements of the side assemblies before the end margins are folded up *by brushes and rollers of the end assemblies. The upper edges 0f all four margins are turned in simultaneously by plate elements of the four assemblies, and each assembly includes a pressure pad for application to the side walls of the box while the turned in margins are applied to the inner surfaces of the walls.

All the control elements are mounted on slidable carriers to be capable of advance towards the box and retraction away from the box, and heretofore these movements have been effected by mechanical means in substantially positive manner in both directions although some springs have been provided for cushioning purposes.

Several types of the rollers are provided each being nited States Patent 0 employed to suit the type of box to be wrapped. Particularly, in addition to the machine being capable of wrapping an ordinary rectangular box with its walls perpendicular to the base by the use of one type of rollers, this roller has been replaceable by another type of roller to deal with extension edges or flanged type boxes.

However, these machines have not been capable of dealing with casket boxes, in which the outer surfaces of the walls are inclined, even by the employment of a special roller, and the main reason for this is the fact that the advance of the rollers is effected positively by mechanical means.

An object of the invention is to provide the control assemblies in such improved manner as will enable the machines to deal with at least the three types of boxes, the ordinary rectangular box, the extension edge or flanged box, and the casket box, at will without any appreciable modification of the control assemblies to suit the type of box to be dealt with.

The invention provides in or for a box wrapping machine of the type specified, a wrapper margin control assembly for adapting the machine to wrap different types of boxes including extension edge or flanged boxes and casket boxes, said assembly comprising a stationary support structure, a slidable carrier on the support structure and adapted for alternatively mounting a brush roller for casket boxes or a flange-wrapping roller for extension edge or flanged boxes, means for reciprocating the slidable carrier and roller towards and away from the box including spring means for effecting the advance towards the box, and limit stop means operable consequent upon the advance of the slidable carrier and the flange-Wrapping roller for releasably holding the roller positively in the advanced position during a predetermined part of the wrapping operation.

Convenietly cam means of rotary type is operable to normally hold the slidable carrier and roller in retracted position, also operable to release the slidable carrier and roller for the advance by the spring means, and further operable to effect the return movement of the slidable carrier and roller.

Conveniently also the limit stop means comprises a cam follower lever mounted on the stationary support structure and having a cam follower riding on a limit stop cam secured to the slidable carrier, with spring means biasing the cam follower lever against the limit cam stop.

The cam follower lever conveniently has a second cam follower engageable by the rotary cam to release the first cam follower out of engagement with the limit stop cam.

In the machine each of the four control assemblies will be constructed in this manner.

When the machine is required to deal with some casket boxes, it is desirable to use a brush roller of smaller diameter than that of the flange-wrapping roller, and to allow for this there is provided a removable spacing member. The foregoing and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims are incorporated in the constructions which will now be described as a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a part sectional view of a wrapper margin control assembly in a box wrapping machine according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the assembly with a cover part removed.

FIGURE 3 is a detail view showing a casket box being wrapped.

FIGURE 4 is a similar view to FIGURE 3 at a later stage in the wrapping operation.

FIGURE 5 is a similar plan view to part of FIGURE 2 showing limit stop means ineffective when used for casket boxes.

FIGURE 6 is a similar plan view to part of FIGURE 2 showing a roller fitted for extension edge or flanged boxes.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view of the roller of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view of the roller of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is an end view of the roller of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE is a detail part sectional view showing an early stage in wrapping an extension edge or flanged box.

FIGURE 11 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 5 showing a later stage in wrapping the extension edge or flanged box with the limit stop means effective.

FIGURE 11a is a cross sectional view of the roller of FIGURE 6 at the stage of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 12 is a similar view to FIGURE 5 showing initial wrapping of the box flange.

FIGURE 13 is a similar view to FIGURE 8 showing final wrapping of the box flange,

And with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 14 is a general view of the box wrapping machine.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the wrapper margin control assembly shown is provided for a box wrapping machine of the general type disclosed in British Patent No. 1,018,415 to which reference is directed for full details, and which is hereinafter briefly described with reference to FIGURE 14. The assembly shown in FIGURE 1 is one of the side assemblies hereinbefore referred to of which there is an identical assembly at the opposite side of the machine, and this other side assembly and the two end assemblies hereinbefore referred to will be constructed substantially as hereinafter described with reference to the side assembly of FIGURE 1.

The assembly comprises a stationary support structure 1 on which there is mounted a plurality of slidable carriers 2, 5, 7, and 9 each mounting a wrapper margin control element.

The uppermost slidable carrier 2 mounts an upper horizontal brush 3 and a side roller 4 underneath the brush 3.

The second slidable carrier 5 mounts corner pads such as 6 under the side roller 4, and the slidable carrier 7 mounts a horizontal plate 8 some distance below the corner pads 6. The slidable carrier 9 mount a pressure pad 10.

These control devices are reciprocated, as disclosed in said patent, through the medium of a rotatable shaft 11 (62 in said patent) and rotary earns 12, 13, 14 and 15 on the shaft engaging cam followers 16, 17, 18 and 19 on the slidable carriers 2, 5, 7 and 9 respectively, the movements being to advance the control elements to effect the wrapping operation while the box is being lowered and to retract them for upward return of the box. It will be seen from FIGURES 1 and 2 that the side roller 4, which in the instance shown in these two figures is a brush roller, is removably mounted by end trunnions 4a thereof having removable engagement in split collars 20, 21, carried by mounting rods 22, 23.

These rods 22, 23 are attached to arms 24, 25 (FIG- URE 2) of the slidable carrier 2, and to provide for adjustment and resilience of the side roller 4, the rods 22, 23 are slidable in the arms and have associated screw adjustment means 26, 27 and spring means 28, 29.

For spring advance of the slidable carrier 2 and side roller 4, the arms 24, 25 are connected to slides 30, 31 located in slideways in the support structure 1, and in a groove in the slides 30, 31 there are long springs 32, 33 acting between the arms 24, 25 and adjustment screw means 34, 35 on the support structure 1.

The arm 25 has an attached bracket 36 to which is secured a guide rod 37 extending through a hole in a bracket 38 secured to the support structure, and on the tail end of the rod 37 is a stop 39 which is adjustable by screw means 40 and has a resilient pad 41 for engagement with the bracket 38.

For positive retraction of the slidable carrier 2 and side roller 4 the aforesaid cam follower 16 is mounted on the underside of the bracket 36 for engagement by the rotary cam 12.

In addition, limit stop means, for a purpose to be hereinafter described comprises, a limit stop cam 42, a cam follower lever 43, a cam follower 44, and a spring 46. The limit stop cam 42 is secured, preferably adjustably by a suitable screw means, to the arm 24 of the slidable carrier 2. The cam follower lever 43 is pivotally mounted by a pivot 45 on the support structure 1. The cam follower 44 engages a cam face 42a of the limit stop cam 42 which is pivotally mounted by a pivot 45- on the support structure 1. A spring 46 biases the cam follower lever 43 in cam-engaging direction.

For further control of the cam follower lever, it has on its underside a cam follower 47 for engagement by the rotary cam 12.

The cam 12 is of quadrant like form having a starting corner 12a, a fall 1217 from one side of the corner, a part-circular portion 12c at the other side of the corner, and a nose 12d at the other end of the part-circular portion 12c.

The slidable carriers 5 and 7, FIGURE 1, are advanceable by spring means, and returnable by the cams 13, 14, and the slidable carrier 9 is under advance control of the cam 15 but the advance is cushioned by spring means.

In use of the machine the control elements are generally advanced and retracted in like manner for different types of boxes, so that in each instance after advancing the elements while the box is being lowered by the lowering form block and presser plate 60, 61 (see FIGURE 14), the side brushes such as 3 start upward folding of the wrapper side margins, the side rollers such as 4 apply the side margins to the box side walls, the corner elements such as 6 apply the ends of the side margins round the box corners, then the end brushes start upward folding of the end margins, the end rollers apply the end margins to the end walls, next after raising the upper form block 60, the side and end plates such as 8 simultaneously turn-in the upper edges of the margins, and finally while these turned-in edges are applied to the inner surfaces of the box walls, by the upper form block 60 lowering, the pressure pads such as 10 support the walls from the outer sides thereof.

In the instance of wrapping a casket box the side roller 4 is a brush roller as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, and the anvil block AB is of substantial depth.

For this casket type of box, the limit stop means operates but takes no effective part in the wrapping.

When the casket box is of the type having additional upper straight sides SS (FIGURES 3 and 4), it is desirable for the brush roller to be of a comparatively small diameter in order to satisfactorily apply the wrapper margins into the hollow between the inclined and the straight side portions, and consequently when the roller is fully advanced there will be a gap G as shown in FIGURE 5 between the advanced limit stop cam 42 and the cam follower 44, this mechanism being ineffective as above mentioned.

However when the machine is required to wrap extension edge or flanged boxes, the roller employed is of comparatively large diameter to allow for its proper construction (to be hereinafter described) and a spacing piece 48, FIGURE 11, is fitted on the rod 37 in front of the pad 41 which results in required closing of the gap G for a reason to be hereinafter described.

Considering now the wrapping of an extension edge or flanged box, the brush roller 4 is removed and there is fitted to the rods 23, 24 a special type roller 50, FIG- URE 6.

This special roller 50 is formed with a longitudinal groove 51, see also FIGURES 7 and 8, and in this groove there is fitted an insert 52 by screws 53, 54, FIGURE 7, with springs 55, 56 for biasing the insert 52 in an outwards direction.

The insert 52, FIGURE 8, has an inclined outer surface 52a in angular relationship to a slightly arcuate surface 51a of the opposed wall of the groove 51.

This special roller 50 is spring biased in one rotational direction by a clock type spring 57, FIGURE 9.

Referring to FIGURE 10, this shows a stage where the special roller 50 is in its retracted position, and the flanged box PE is being lowered on a metal plate anvil AP (instead of the anvil block AB) thereby to engage the wrapper side margin WSM with the side brush 3.

Before the anvil plate AP reaches the level of the groove 51 in the roller 50, the aforesaid cam 12, FIG- URE 2, is rotated clockwise in plan thereby to carry its corner 12a clear of the cam follower 16 and to present its fall 1212 to the cam follower 16 so that the springs 32, 33 thereupon advance the slidable carrier 2 and the special roller 50 towards the lowering box, the object being to present the groove 51 of the roller 50 to the projecting margin of the lowering anvil plate AP.

To this end the advance of the roller 50 is terminated at the required position by abutment of the spacing piece 48 on the guide rod 37 with the stationary bracket 38 as shown in FIGURE 11.

Referring again to FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the accompanying advance of the stop cam 42 results in this cam acting on the cam follower 44 to swing the cam follower lever 43 about its pivot 45 and against the action of the spring 46.

Consequently when the fully advanced position of FIG- URE 11 is reached, whereat the limit stop cam 42 has been advanced clear of the cam follower 44, the spring 46 immediately causes a return swing of the cam follower lever 43 to engage the cam follower 44 immediately behind the limit stop cam 42.

It is not until this stage is reached that the projecting margin of the anvil plate AP in its downward movement enters the groove 51, FIGURE 11a, of the special roller 50 where it strikes against the inclined outer surface 52a of the insert 52 thereupon effecting rotation of the special roller 50 as shown in FIGURE 12.

During this movement the special roller 50 is positively held in the fully advanced position by the engagement of the limit stop cam 42 with the cam follower 44, and as a result the face 51a of the grove 51 in the special roller 50 acts on the wrapper side margin WSM to satisfactorily apply part of it round the extension edge or flange of the box, it being appreciated that, since the roller cannot be forced to retract by the force of the anvil plate against the special roller 50, the face 51a of the roller grove 51 cam push the wrapper side margin well into the angular hollow between the upper surface of the extension edge or flange of the box and its adjacent side wall.

It will also be appreciated that this state of affairs will exist irrespective of the width of the extension edge or flange of the box and consequently the wrapping is satisfactory for extension edge or flanged boxes having different widths of extension edges or flanges.

It will be further observed from FIGURE 12 that the action of the anvil plate AP on the insert 52 is with a tendency to depress it in the groove 51 against the action of the springs 55, 56 but this cannot effect the position of the special roller 50 since it is held positively by the limit stop cam 42 and cam follower 44.

It may be further observed that the aforesaid cushioning springs 28, 29, FIGURE 2, normally allow some resilient movements of the special roller 50 relatively to the slidable carrier 2, but these springs 28, 29 are sufficiently powerful to strongly resist any tendency to retraction of the special roller 50 by the action of the anvil plate AP on the roller, whereas were it not for the limit stop cam 42 and cam follower 44, the long springs 32, 33, being in extended condition, would be so weakened as to allow at least some retraction of the roller which would result in imperfect wrapping.

It will be observed from FIGURE 13 that continued lowering of the box for the special roller 50 to apply the wrapper to the wall of the box is still accompanied by the limit stop cam 42 and cam follower 44 preventing any retraction of the roller, and it is not until after this wrapping stage is complete that the hold of the limit stop cam is released.

To provide for the required holding period, the relationship between the other cam follower 47 with the nose 12d of the cam 12 is such that it is not until the required wrapping stage has been passed that the nose 12d strik s the cam follower 47 to swing the cam follower lever 43 against the action of the spring 46 to remove the cam follower 44 out of the return path of the limit stop cam 42.

This return (to allow for the upward return of the box) is effected by the cam nose 12d eventually striking the cam follower 16 on the slidable carrier 2, and in the meantime to avoid springing back of the cam follower lever, the part-circular portion 120 acts on the cam follower 47 to maintain the release condition until the slidable carrier 2 has returned the limit stop cam 42 towards the other side of the cam follower 42, at which time the corner 12a of the cam 12 rides past the cam follower 47 which thereupon rides down the fall 1212 for the cam follower lever to become re-set in its starting position.

Reverse rotation of the special roller 50 to re-set it is effected by its return spring 57, FIGURE 9.

The wrapping machine can be of well known type such as shown in FIGURE 14 briefly comprises a frame 62 having a motor and gear box drive indicated generally at 63 for driving a drum cam 64 through the intermediary of a vertical shaft 65 and operating wrapper-controlling implements (to be hereinafter referred to) through the intermediary of gearing indicated generally at 66 and four universal shafts of which three are shown at 67, 68, 69, the other one corresponding to the shaft 68 being at the other side of the machine.

The anvil block AB is, in known manner, spring biased towards its raised position and lowered by the lowering of the form block.

A form block presser plate 61 for lowering into the box assembly and gripping it to the anvil block AB is secured by means 71 to the lower end of a vertical rod 72 to an upper part of which is connected a cam follower lever 73 having a cam follower 74 engaged in a lower cam track 64a in the drum cam 64 and being pivoted at 75 to a frame part 62a.

The upper form block component 60 is secured to the lower ends of a pair of vertical and laterally spaced guide rods 76, 77 which extend through the rod 72 to the upper end thereof whereat they are secured to a top plate 78, so that this component 60 normally moves with the plate 61 by the cam track 64a. Stripper fingers 79, 80 depend from a lower plate 81 from which uprights 82, 83 extend through a frame part 6211 for co-operation with the top plate 78, and the lower plate 81 is connected by a link 84 to a cam follower lever 85 which is pivoted at 86 to the frame part 62a and has a cam follower 85a engaging in an upper cam track 64b in the drum cam 64. This mechanism 79-86 is for the purpose of stripping the box assembly from the form block.

What we claim is:

1. A machine for placing adhesively coated wrapping on a box, comprising:

(a) box support means including an anvil and a form block for rigidly supporting a box to be wrapped, and reciprocably moving it in a given direction, said anvil being adapted to be withdrawn from said box 3. The machine for placing adhesively coated wrapwhen the wrapping of the outside of the box is comping paper on a box as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

pleted, and then reinserted therein to apply wrap- (a) said cylindrical margin wrapping side roller has ping to the inside of the box, a deep longitudinal groove formed therein, and an (1)) a slidable carrier mounted on a support and diselongated outwardly spring biased insert disposed posed adjacent the path of travel of said box supwithin said groove and having an external champort means for reciprocable movement in a direcfered surface, which coacts with the wall of said tion perpendicular to that of said box support means, groove to engage the outward edge f a wrapper (c) a cylindrical margin wrapping side roller resilientflap.

ly mounted on said slidable carrier with its axis 10 4. The machine for placing adhesively coated wrapparallel to the sides of the box and positioned to ping paper on the box as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

engage the sides of the box when said slidable carrier (a) said cylindrical margin wrapping side roller is an is moved toward said box to press adhesively coated l at d br h ll wrapping paper against the sides of the box, 5. The machine for placing adhesively coated wrap- (d) a horizontal brush mounted on said slidable carping paper on the box as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

Tier above Said cylindrical margin wrapping id (a) said slidable carrier has releasable fastening means roller, for supporting said cylindrical margin wrapping side p means Connected t0 Said Carlfifif for biasing roller, whereby different types of side rollers may said carrier toward said box support means, and the b readily mounted thereon said cylindrical roller into engagement with the sides of the box, References Cited (f) adjustable limit stop means connecting said sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS port and said carrier for arresting forward movement of said carrier at a selected advanced position, 7951268 7/1905 Cawthray 93 54'3 g) a rotary cam control means connect d between 8201166 5/1906 Algersaid support and said carrier for moving said carrier 1,028,422 6/1912 Algerd said cylindrical roller away from said b X 1,463,639 7/1923 T 93 54'3 against the force of said spring means, and 1,988,814 1/1935 sllby 93-56 (h) positive lock control means for temporarily hold- 2,759,561 11/1956 Von Hofe 93 -54 X ing aid carrier in a forward position to permit the 0 2361158 1/1959 Aiidfesen 9J 54 cylindrical roller to be pressed into engagement with 3,069,981 12/1962 f f the Sides of the 3,389,644 6/1968- Williams 9340 2, Th a hine for placing adhesively coated wrap- 1,518,064 12/1924 Hackett 9357 ping on a box as set forth in claim 1, wherein: FOREIGN PATENTS (a) said positive lock control means includes a limit stop cam directly connected to said carrier which engages a cam follower lever connected to said support to thereby lock said carrier in a forward position and US Cl. x11.

(b) said cam follower is disengaged by a drive cam of said rotary cam drive means. 93-36, 51, 54, 57, 59

564,703 10/1958 Canada,

WAYNE A. MORSE, 111., Primary Examiner 

